The opening line of chapter one of Epic assumes that the Bible is one overarching story. What does Richter suggest that the story is about?
The Richter suggests that the story revolves about getting redemption from people’s sins.
What is ethnocentrism? (Look it up if you can’t figure it out from the text.
Ethnocentrism is a scenario where humans tend judge other people’s culture based on presumptions found in one’s own culture ( Richter, 2010 ).
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How does the God of history choose to reveal himself? (23)
The God of history revealed Himself through several incarnations of culture.
The word “redemption” finds its root not in theology, but in what human realm?
The word redemption found its roots from the secular vocabulary of ancient Israel that was commonly used (Stager, 2011).
The earliest form of Israelite society was distinctly tribal. In a tribal society, what is the axis of the community? (25) What does the phrase “axis of the community” mean?
The family is the axis of community. The phrase implies that family is basic and central in legal and economic structures of a society.
What does patriarchal mean? What were the patriarch’s responsibilities?
Patriarchal means the head of family. Responsibilities include instituting family stability economically, implementing rules, and helping the poor and war victims (Stager, 2011).
What is the bêt ᵓāb?
Bêt ᵓāb is the basic household unit of Israelites society.
What does patrilineal mean? What were the privileges and responsibilities of the firstborn in a patrilineal society?
Patrilineal means tracing the ancestral descent through the male line. Privileges of first born; becoming a patriarch and receiving double portion. Responsibility; include maintaining and directing the bet’ab (Richter, 2010).
What happened to women when they married in a patrilineal society? How was the levirate law designed to protect widows?
They become permanent members of a new household. Levirate law prevented widows from re-marrying outside the bet’ab.
What does patrilocal mean? Describe the “four-room, pillared house.” (Note figures 1.2 & 1.3) How is the architecture significant to the idea of patrilocal society?
Patrilocal implies the living space of a family unit. The four pillared house had two floors with spacious rooms separated by pillars and a big room behind the house (Richter, 2010). The design enabled family members stay together.
How does this renewed understanding of the family compound help us understand what Jesus is talking about in John 14:1-2? (39)
It serves as a backdrop to the teachings of Jesus. Jesus told his disciples that the house of his father had many dwelling places and that he went to prepare it for the saved people (Stager, 2011).
What does it mean practically for Boaz to act as Ruth’s gō ᵓēl?
Boaz agreed to marry Ruth and became the patriarch.
How does Abraham redeem Lot?
Abraham redeemed Lot by rescuing him from invaders of Mesopotamia.
How does Hosea redeem Gomer?
Hosea redeemed Gomer by obeying God’s command to marrying her.
Finish this sentence. “In Israel’s tribal society redemption was the act of a patriarch who put his own resources…” (45)
“... on the line to save a member of the family who has been subjected to poverty, or one who is captured by the enemy without a defense, and the one who is suffering because of little faith ” .
References
Stager, L. E. (2011). The archaeology of the family in ancient Israel. Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research , 260 (1), 1-35.
Richter, S. L. (2010). The Epic of Eden: A Christian Entry into the Old Testament . InterVarsity Press.
